Last week, when Sydney-based singer-songwriter Matt Druery dropped his debut single There 4 U, we were immediately immersed in his vintage synth-pop sounds.
So, fresh off the single’s release, we caught up with the artist himself to chat all about it, his history with music, and what the future holds.
With an incredible debut single fresh under his belt, we caught up with Sydney-based singer-songwriter Matt Druery for a chat.
HAPPY: Hey, how’s it going? What are you up to at the moment?
MATT: Hey! I’m just sipping on a peach ice tea, trying to get my dog to stop barking at a gardener at the house next door.
HAPPY: We’re loving There 4 U! How does it feel having the track out there in the world?
MATT: Thanks so much for supporting it, and it feels really good. There 4 U is my first ever release, so I guess you could say that putting it out has been a bit of an experiment to test the waters and see how it all works, but so far it seems like people like the song a lot because I’ve been getting very positive feedback about it, so I’m happy with how it’s turned out, even though it’s only been a week!
HAPPY: Could you tell us a bit about the song?
MATT: Musically, the song is very 80’s inspired. I’m a huge old-school pop music freak, so I love so much of the output of that era, and I’m always referencing the 80’s in my own music. From subtle arrangement things like giving the background vocals the main chorus hook, or the gentle sentimentality of the lyrics, or more obvious things like using the Linn drum machine sounds, I love experimenting with all of those kinds of things.
Lyrically, I think the song’s story is about a gloomy, yet hopeful guy in love with a woman who might be interested in him, but doesn’t want to tie herself down, but his desperation and awe towards her means he’ll always be there for her when she needs it… it’s a bit heavy. I’ve realised it sounds a lot darker when explicitly explained, but the song is really just meant to be a light and optimistic 80’s bop, I promise!
HAPPY: For a debut single, it feels like you’ve got a really strong direction with your sound. How long had this project been in the works for before you dropped this song?
MATT: I started writing There 4 U in mid-to-late-2016, and did the bulk of the recording for it in mid-2017, so over the course of those two and a half years, it became pretty clear what direction to take the song when it came time to mix it in late 2018. I love a lot of kinds of music, and 80’s-inspired pop is right up there for me! I think it’s likely that further down the line I’ll venture into releasing music in some other styles, but for now, I’ll keep on riding this 80’s sound till I’ve got nothing left!
HAPPY: You grew up in a pretty musical family, right? Could you tell us a bit about how this shaped the way you make music?
MATT: Yes, so much of my family is musical. Both of my parents were professional musicians – my dad was a touring drummer in the 1980s/90s, and my mum was a singer in a vocal group with her two sisters around the same time. My pop on my mother’s side taught himself how to play piano as a kid, with most family get-togethers these days leading to a Great American Songbook singalong with all my older relatives. And if a family member didn’t play music, they still had a strong passion for it, like my grandma who is a country music fanatic. So I think, at the very least, it’s shaped the way I make music in that I have quite a wide knowledge on many styles of music, which informs my songwriting, and gives me great references and inspiration when coming up with an approach or a direction to take a song, which is a real benefit.
HAPPY: Are there any particular artists you’re currently loving?
MATT: Some of my biggest influences are old-school artists and bands like Prince, Todd Rundgren, The Eagles, and Elvis Costello, so I’m always listening to their music. At the moment I’m having a bit of a Bryan Adams binge after seeing his incredible Sydney show in March – amazing singer and great, prolific songwriter. I’m pretty out of it when it comes to most current artists, but Ariana Grande has some absolute bangers, and I also really like Mac DeMarco, Khalid, and Maren Morris among many others. And Anderson .Paak’s new song with Smokey Robinson is amazing, too!
HAPPY: What’s next for Matt Druery? Any other exciting plans in the works?
MATT: At the moment, the plan is to release a couple more singles this year, with the next one out sometime in July/August. I think people will like the next single a lot, so playing a show somewhere to launch it is on the cards too. And I’d love to put out a larger work at some point next year, but that’s still to be determined. Basically, just to keep on making music and put some new stuff out every few months!
HAPPY: Cheers for the chat!
MATT: Thanks for having me, and for supporting the single!
There 4 U is available now. Listen above.
